December 20 – Saudi Arabia will compete at the 16-team Concacaf Gold Cup next summer, to be played predominantly on the West coast of the USA.
To date eight Concacaf teams have already qualified through the Concacaf Nations League, with seven more to be confirmed following the Gold Cup preliminary round play-offs in March 2025.
The eight Concacaf teams already qualified for the Gold Cup Group Stage are Canada, Curacao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the United States.
Saudi Arabia follow in the most recent footsteps of Qatar who guested at the 2021 and 2023 Gold Cups, and previous guest nations including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea.
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani said: “We are very pleased that through our relationship with the Asian Football Confederation we have been able to collaborate with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and their President Yasser Al-Misehal, both on and off the pitch, and we look forward to welcoming one of Asia’s top men’s national teams to compete with the best in Concacaf.”
“With this next Gold Cup edition taking place just one year out from 2026, it is a tremendous opportunity to harness the increased interest in the sport in our region and promises to be the best edition yet.”
Concacaf has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the AFC, of which the Saudi FA is a member, as well as a separate agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The Saudi participation at the Gold Cup will also see collaboration on football development and CSR initiatives, including significant knowledge sharing between the World Cup 2026 and 2034 hosts. Saudi energy giant Aramco has been a Concacaf sponsor for 18 months.
SAFF president Yasser Al-Misehal said: “It is a great privilege to represent the Asian Football Confederation in this prestigious tournament. Representing your country overseas is an honour all Saudis take very seriously, especially in the year before our friends at Concacaf help stage the FIFA World Cup 2026™. As a FIFA World Cup host nation, this learning opportunity is a responsibility that SAFF will wholeheartedly embrace. Football is a national obsession in Saudi Arabia and our mission is all about growing together and to help grow the game globally.”
Play-off pathway paved
Concacaf has also confirmed the qualification pathway for 14 men’s national teams competing for the seven final qualification slots.
The Prelims matchups, decided by the Concacaf Nations League results and the Concacaf Rankings, are Costa Rica vs. Belize, Jamaica vs. St Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras vs. Bermuda, Guatemala vs. Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago vs. Cuba, Martinique vs. Suriname, and Nicaragua vs. Guadeloupe.
After home and away play in March 2025, the aggregate score winners in each matchup will qualify for the Gold Cup Group Stage. The group draw will be held in April 2025. The Gold Cup will be played June 14 to July 6.
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